Portland Public Schools School District
School District · Portland, Maine
Avg Rating
5.9
out of 10
Schools
16
10 elem, 3 mid, 3 high
Enrollment
6,649
Student-Teacher Ratio
10.7:1
Avg Rating
5.9
out of 10
Schools
16
10 elem, 3 mid, 3 high
Enrollment
6,649
Student-Teacher Ratio
10.7:1
Evaluating Portland Public Schools?
A district shares budget, policy, and attendance zones across its schools — use this page to judge Portland Public Schools as a whole, then compare how its individual schools differ.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Ocean Avenue
Portland · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Longfellow School-portland
Portland · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Casco Bay High School
Portland · High. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
How this district compares
Maine rank
#70 of 108
districts by avg. composite
Vs. state average
-0.2
below Maine avg
Per-pupil spending
$21,359
+$2,503 vs Maine median
District size
6,649 students
Much larger than Maine median
The short answer
Portland Public Schools ranks #70 of 108 Maine districts by overall school rating. Portland Public Schools's schools with real test data average 5.9/10 across 15 schools. Its top-rated schools are Ocean Avenue (8.0/10), Longfellow School-portland (7.6/10), and Casco Bay High School (7.5/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Rates 8.0/10 despite 37% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.9 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Portland Public Schools schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Portland Public Schools
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (15 of 16). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ocean Avenue | 8.0 / 10 |
| 2 | Longfellow School-portland | 7.6 / 10 |
| 3 | Casco Bay High School | 7.5 / 10 |
| 4 | Presumpscot School | 6.9 / 10 |
| 5 | Lincoln Middle School | 6.8 / 10 |
| 6 | Lyman Moore Middle School | 6.2 / 10 |
| 7 | Gerald E Talbot Community School | 6.2 / 10 |
| 8 | Portland High School | 5.8 / 10 |
| 9 | East End Community School | 5.8 / 10 |
| 10 | Deering High School | 5.6 / 10 |
See all 16 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
About Portland Public Schools
Portland Public Schools is a Portland, Maine school district serving 16 schools.The district educates 6,649 students with a student-teacher ratio of 10.7:1. District-level spending was $21,359 per student in fiscal year 2023 (NCES F-33).
With an average rating of 5.9/10, Portland Public Schools demonstrates solid academic performance.
The highest-rated school in the district is Ocean Avenue, which has a composite score of 8.0/10.
In standardized testing, Portland Public Schools students show an average math proficiency of 49.6% and ELA proficiency of 61.8%.
The district includes 10 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 3 high schools.
District Map
Schools in Portland Public Schools, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.
District Average Test Scores
Average proficiency across all schools in Portland Public Schools with test data.
Schools in Portland Public Schools
16 schoolsElementary Schools10
District Details
- State
- Maine
- City
- Portland
- Total Enrollment
- 6,649
- Teachers (FTE)
- 622
- District spending per student
- $21,359NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- Child poverty rate
- 14.6%Census SAIPE · 2024
- District directory year
- 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Portland Public Schools?
Portland Public Schools has 16 schools in total — 10 elementary, 3 middle, and 3 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.
What is the average rating for Portland Public Schools?
The average composite rating for Portland Public Schools is 5.9/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.
What is the district spending per student in Portland Public Schools?
Portland Public Schools's district-level spending was $21,359 per student in fiscal year 2023, according to NCES F-33. This is district context, not an individual-school expense.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Portland Public Schools?
The average student-teacher ratio in Portland Public Schools is 10.7:1.
What is the top-rated school in Portland Public Schools?
Ocean Avenue is the highest-rated school in Portland Public Schools with a composite score of 8.0/10.
What are the test scores in Portland Public Schools?
Across schools in Portland Public Schools with test data, the average math proficiency is 49.6% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 61.8%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.
How does Portland Public Schools compare to other districts in Maine?
Portland Public Schools has an average school rating of 5.9/10 across 16 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in Maine by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools?
MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.
District Averages
- Overall Rating
- 5.9/10
- Math Proficiency
- 49.6%
- ELA Proficiency
- 61.8%
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateOther School Districts in ME
Compare Portland Public Schools with neighboring districts in the state.
- Bangor Public Schools (10)
- Rsu 17/msad 17 (10)
- Auburn Public Schools (8)
- Lewiston Public Schools (8)
- Rsu 03/msad 03 (8)
- Rsu 06/msad 06 (8)
- Rsu 09 (8)
- Rsu 18 (8)
- Rsu 54/msad 54 (8)
- Augusta Public Schools (7)
- Rsu 01 - Lkrsu (7)
- Rsu 22 (7)
- Rsu 40/msad 40 (7)
- Rsu 57/msad 57 (7)
- Rsu 60/msad 60 (7)
- Rsu 71 (7)
- Rsu 75/msad 75 (7)
- South Portland Public Schools (7)
- Biddeford Public Schools (6)
- Rsu 05 (6)
- Rsu 10 (6)
- Rsu 11/msad 11 (6)
- Rsu 13 (6)
- Rsu 14 (6)
Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Maine Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.
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